Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Bricked raised area with plaques

EDWARD (TEDDY) SHEEAN MEMORIAL

TO THE MEMORY OF
ORDINARY SEAMAN EDWARD SHEEAN R.A.N.R. O/MP H1617

ON THE 1ST DECEMBER, 1942 H.M.A.S. ARMIDALE, IN THE ARAFURA SEA WAS ATTACKED BY 9 TORPEDO BOMBERS AND 9 FIGHTERS. HIT BY 2 TORPEDOES, H.M.A.S. ARMIDALE SANK WITHIN 3 MINUTES AFTER THE ORDER TO ABANDON SHIP, TEDDY SHEEAN, ALTHOUGH WOUNDED, REMAINED AT HIS POST AT THE AFTER OERLIKON GUN AND BROUGHT DOWN ONE ENEMY BOMBER AND DAMAGED TWO OTHERS. HE CONTINUED FIRING UNTIL HE WAS KILLED, STRAPPED TO HIS GUN, AND DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE WAVES WITH HIS SHIP.

BY HIS EXTREME GALLANTRY HE UNDOUBTEDLY SAVED MANY LIVES, AND THE CITATION FOR THE POSTHUMOUS "MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES' READS :

"FOR BRAVERY AND DEVOTION TO DUTY WHEN
H.M.A.S. ARMIDALE WAS LOST"

LEST WE FORGET

O/S EDWARD SHEEAN WAS BORN AT BARRINGTON , TASMANIA, THE SON OF THE LATE JAMES AND MARY SHEEAN, AND WAS 27 DAYS SHORT OF HIS 19TH BIRTHDAY WHEN HE PAID THE SUPREME SACRIFICE.

ERECTED TO HIS MEMORY BY THE R.A.N. CORVETTES ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

DEDICATED 1ST OCTOBER 1987

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